1. Field of the Invention
An aspect of the present invention relates to a drain plug for draining water accumulated in a body panel of a motor vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a body panel (such as a trunk lid, a door, a fender and the like) of a motor vehicle is formed of an outside panel and an inside panel. For example, the end part of the outside panel and the end part of the inside panel are connected together, and a space defined between the panels is suitably widened to thereby form the body panel having a prescribed thickness. In such body panel, rain water or washing water during a cleaning work of a vehicle body may occasionally enter and may be possibly accumulated. Accordingly, a hole for draining water is formed in the body panel to drain outside the water in the body panel from the hole.
However, under a state that such a drain hole is opened, there is a fear that smell of fuel, muddy water, dust and noise may enter the vehicle body. Accordingly, a plug is attached so as to close the drain hole and permit water to be drained from the drain hole.
For example, JP-S61-226375-A discloses a drain plug including a flange head part (non-insert part) and an insert part connected to the head part. The insert part is to be inserted into a drain hole. The cylindrical-shaped insert part protrudes with a prescribed height from the back side of the head part, and a part of the insert part is cut out along the peripheral direction to form a sector-shaped cut-out groove. Along an outer periphery of the insert part at an end part, an engaging pawl is formed to radially protrude with a prescribed height. When the insert part is inserted into the drain hole formed in a body panel, the head part is engaged with the drain hole from a front side, while the engaging pawl on the insert part is engaged with the drain hole from a back side, thereby attaching the plug to the drain hole.
In the body panel formed of a pair of panels defining a prescribed space therebetween, for example, one panel may be bent to come close to the other panel or both the panels may be bent to come close to each other so as to reduce the space toward a connecting part of the panels. In this case, water entering the body panel will be guided to and accumulated in the connecting part of the panels, due to its tare weight. Therefore, it is preferably to provide the drain hole around the connecting part of the panels.
In JP-S61-226375-A, the insert part of the plug is formed in the cylindrical shape protruding with the prescribed height. In this case, when the drain hole is provided at a position where the space between the panels is reduced, it is difficult to ensure a sufficient insert stroke for inserting the insert part, and the plug cannot be attached to the drain hole. Since the space between the panels is extremely narrow in an end edge part as in a trunk lid, for example, the drain hole cannot be provided closely to the end edge part.